What is the cost of reducing mercury emissions?
Environmental groups maintain that EPA’s own studies indicate that installing Maximum Available Control Technology (MACT) would reduce mercury emissions from power plants by 90 percent, to about 5 tons annually. They believe this could be done within three years of the regulations taking effect. The National Wildlife Foundation has estimated that the cost to electricity customers would be $1 to $3 per household, per month.[27] A 1999 analysis by the EPA put the cost at 0.1 to 0.3 cents per kWh (70 cents to $2.10 per household, per month) for MACT achieving a 70 percent reduction in emissions.[28] A January 2005 statement by the Electric Power Research Institute cites similar costs for the most common mercury-specific control under evaluation, but does not give a specific emissions reduction target.[29] In February 2005, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources estimated the state’s law requiring an 80 percent reduction would cost $70 per household, per year.[30] So what’s the bott
